Professor Paul O'Brien FRS

Professor of Inorganic Materials in the Schools of Chemistry and of Materials, University of Manchester

Paul O'Brien is distinguished for his many original contributions to chemistry and materials science, notably in the use of novel molecularly defined precursors from which to prepare important functional electronic or optical materials in well-defined forms. Processes he pioneered have been widely adopted. His discoveries include substantial improvements in the constitution, stoichiometry and nature of precursors. He has shown how relatively stable compounds can be used to prepare high quality functional materials, and developed improved methods to convert precursors into useful functional products, devising and refining ways by which nanoparticles syntheses can be controlled within the size limits require for device use.